With a place in the quarter-finals on the line – and a potential tie against Manchester United or Sunderland awaiting the winner – here’s everything you need to know!
U21 preview Palace v Liverpool: Young Eagles ready for PL2 play-off clash
Crystal Palace Under-21s return to action on Sunday afternoon, travelling to face Liverpool at the Liverpool Academy in the Premier League 2 Round of 16 play-offs.
Eagle-Eyed Review
Palace head into the PL2 play-offs having secured a 10th-place finish in the Premier League 2 regular season, ensuring qualification for the knockout phase for a third consecutive campaign.
The young Eagles concluded the league phase with a comfortable 2–0 victory over Arsenal on Monday, 13th April at the VBS Community Stadium.
Joe Gibbard opened the scoring inside four minutes, reacting sharply to Harry Lee’s long goal kick before lifting the ball over the advancing goalkeeper for his first goal of the 2025/26 campaign. Kaden Rodney put the game beyond doubt from the spot mid-way through the second half.
With play-off qualification already confirmed prior to kick-off, the result provided a strong platform heading into the knockout rounds!
Premier League 2 Explained
The Premier League 2 competition features 29 Category One academies competing in a single-table format across 20 regular season fixtures.
Each side faces 20 different opponents during the regular season before the top 16 teams progress to the play-offs – a single-elimination knockout stage to determine the overall champion.
The league adopted this structure in 2023/24, replacing the previous two-division system with a Swiss-style regular season, followed by a seeded knockout bracket.
Final league positions determine the Round of 16 ties, with teams paired in a 1st vs 16th, 2nd vs 15th, 3rd vs 14th format and so on. As a result, Palace (10th) travel to face Liverpool (7th).
From there, the bracket is pre-determined through to the final, meaning each team’s potential route is mapped out in advance. Should Palace progress, they will face either Manchester United (2nd) or Sunderland (15th) in the quarter-finals.
All knockout ties are decided on the day, with 30 minutes of extra time and penalties used if required.
Our Opponents – Liverpool
Liverpool finished seventh in the PL2 table, recording 11 wins and two draws from their 20 matches.
Their campaign was shaped by a slow start, winning just one of their opening six fixtures – a period influenced by frequent first-team call-ups for key players including Rio Ngumoha, Trey Nyoni and captain Amara Nallo.
However, they recovered strongly after the turn of the year.
The young Reds went unbeaten across their first 11 matches of 2026 (W8 D3), establishing themselves as one of the division’s most in-form sides. That run included emphatic victories such as a 7–0 win over Arsenal, 5–0 against Wolves and 3–0 over Nottingham Forest.
Across that period, they scored 31 goals and kept four clean sheets. Their unbeaten run ended with a 2–0 defeat at Manchester City, before concluding their league campaign against Palace, suffering a 5-1 loss.
With their play-off place already secured, Liverpool have since played friendlies to maintain sharpness – recording a 6–0 win over i2i Football Academy, but also suffering a 3–1 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain’s youth side.
At home, they remain a significant threat, winning seven of their last 10 matches at the Liverpool Academy.
Last Time Out Against Liverpool
The two sides met as recently as late March at the Liverpool Academy – a fixture which saw Palace deliver one of their most complete performances of the season.
The young Eagles ran out 5–1 winners, boosting their play-off hopes with two games remaining.
Dean Benamar opened the scoring inside seven minutes, controlling George King’s diagonal ball before finishing confidently one-on-one.
Liverpool responded to level the match, but Palace regained control through Tyler Whyte’s close-range finish from a set-piece. Charlie Walker-Smith added a third immediately after the restart, before late goals from Kaden Rodney and Jemiah Umolu completed an emphatic victory.
Likely Line-up
Liverpool’s Expected XI: Pecsi, Ramsay, Pinnington, Nallo, Pitt, Kelly, Morrison, Pilling, W. Wright, Sonni-Lambie, Onanuga.
Team News
Máté Pécsi is expected to return between the sticks for Premier League 2 action, having been rested for recent friendlies, where Misciur featured.
In defence, it is likely to be a choice between Miles and Pinnington alongside captain Amara Nallo, with the rest of the backline relatively settled.
Further forward, Onanuga is expected to get the nod ahead of Bradshaw, though the latter remains an option from the bench. Kieran Morrison – Liverpool’s standout performer this season – is a guaranteed starter and will be central to their attacking threat.
Will Wright started the recent friendly but was withdrawn at half-time for Keyrol Figueroa, who made his return after more than two months out through injury. The USA youth international made an immediate impact, scoring within five minutes with a composed finish into the bottom corner from Joe Bradshaw’s assist.
Pre-Match Analysis
Liverpool finished the regular season as one of the division’s most potent attacking sides, scoring 49 goals – the third-highest total in the league, behind Chelsea (52) and Manchester City (59).
However, they have also shown defensive vulnerability, conceding 36 goals across their 20 matches.
Form-wise, Liverpool rank among the top-performing sides across their last 10 games (W7 D1 L2), though recent defeats – including the heavy loss to Palace – suggest they are not without weaknesses.
Their home record remains strong, with seven wins from their last 10 at the Liverpool Academy, meaning Palace will need to replicate the intensity and clinical edge shown in their previous meeting.
Key Player – Kieran Morrison
Kieran Morrison has been Liverpool’s standout performer this season. The 19-year-old forward has scored 13 goals and registered two assists in Premier League 2, placing him among the division’s leading scorers.
Morrison joined Liverpool’s academy from Manchester United in 2019 and signed a three-year professional contract in 2024. He has already made his senior debut in the Carabao Cup and has been involved in first-team squads under Arne Slot.
A sharp, intelligent attacker, he represents Liverpool’s primary threat heading into Sunday’s tie.
The Gaffer – Rob Page
Liverpool Under-21s are led by Rob Page, who was appointed head coach in June 2025.
Page brings a wealth of experience, having previously managed Wales at senior level – guiding them to the knockout stages of Euro 2020 and the 2022 World Cup, their first appearance at the tournament in 64 years.
A former Wales international with 41 caps, Page enjoyed a long playing career before transitioning into management, where he has also held roles at Port Vale and Northampton Town.
What’s at Stake
Sunday’s tie kicks off at 14:00 BST at the Liverpool Academy. If the match is level after 90 minutes, it will go to 30 minutes of extra time, followed by penalties if required.
Should the Eagles progress, they will face either Manchester United U21s or Sunderland Under-21s in the quarter-finals between Friday, 1st and Monday, 4th May.
HOW TO FOLLOW
The match will be streamed LIVE on Palace TV+ on Sunday (26th April), with coverage beginning at 13:45 BST ahead of a 14:00 BST kick-off – click HERE to find out more and subscribe.
Supporters can follow live commentary on our Academy X (Twitter) page, with a full match report and reaction published shortly after full-time in our Academy news section.
Highlights and extended reaction will be available on Palace TV+.
MATCH DETAILS
Liverpool Under-21s v Crystal Palace Under-21s
- Sunday, 26th April
- 14:00 BST
- Liverpool Academy
- Premier League 2 round of 16 play-offs
- Watch LIVE on Palace TV+